18th September 2013: Cosmic Teachings on the Shadow

by Sarah Varcas on 18/09/2013

Exploring the Shadowlands

By

Sarah Varcas

Today Venus teams up with the North Node/Saturn conjunction in Scorpio and, together with the Moon and Uranus, invites us to explore the realm of the shadow through new eyes. Traditionally, and in its widest used meaning, the ‘shadow’ refers to those parts of ourselves that we deny, repress, suppress and project out on to others in an attempt to avoid owning them ourselves. Usually characterised as unpleasant and unacceptable thoughts, feelings and behaviours, they are the parts of ourselves we don’t want to admit to having: jealousy, rage, hatred, pride, arrogance etc. Cast into the darkness of our unconscious mind they lurk and fester, never going away but staying far enough out of consciousness for us to continue life as if they weren’t really there.. most of the time!

Today, however, the heavens point to an expanded understanding of what forms the ‘shadow’. They remind us that it isn’t only ‘negative’ aspects of our psyche that we disown in this way. We also cast out our own integral power, our ability to create, our strength to stand up for what we believe in. We may cast into the shadow our deep and abiding love for someone we know to be unavailable to us, or even our love for God/dess, for the Divine, because it doesn’t fit with who we (and others) perceive ourselves to be. Effectively, our ‘shadow’ is formed of anything and everything that is part of us but for which we refuse to take full ownership, claiming it as an integral part of who we actually are.

With the Full Moon occurring tomorrow, we have a chance now to bring everything back home – to be complete beneath that Moon – and today is a good time to do a reality check on just how much of ourselves we’re not accommodating in the light of consciousness. Because everything cast away from that light takes with it a portion of energy, of life, OUR life. It needs this, to live off while we carry on as if it weren’t there. And once its rations have run out it will take some more, a kind of ‘pay-off’ to which we tacitly agree, in order to keep the demons at bay.

Except it’s not just ‘demons’ we’re casting out. There are a fair few blessings in there too, also thrust into the darkness for fear of what owning them may actually mean. If we embody our true power what will it mean for our lives currently lived in half-light, shaped by forces around us which we dare not challenge? If we embrace our love for the Divine, our full recognition that we are it and it is ourselves, what will that mean for every moment that we feel defeated, forsaken or victimised by circumstance? Owning the truth of who we are removes all our excuses, all our justifications, leaving only ourselves to blame (or thank!), and the resistance to doing so can be powerful beyond measure.

In just under a month’s time the next eclipse season begins, and between now and then we have a wonderful opportunity to discover what really lives in our shadow and begin to release it. It is filled with everything that we have shied away from owning, EVERYTHING, so it’s a real treasure trove of emotions, thoughts, feelings, power, energy and potential. Our inclination is to fear it, as we do anything in the darkness, but the only way to remove the darkness is to shine a light, and that’s exactly what’s asked of us now: to shine the light of consciousness into the darkness of our shadow, recognising that whatever we find there is ours, in its entirety, to do with as we wish. No matter how deep the rage, how powerful the hate, or how huge the love, it is all at our disposal and its energy available to fuel the transformation possible when we embrace who and what we really are, in our fullness, and then face life afresh, knowing we have everything we need to fulfil the potential deep inside.

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In order to prioritise other projects I’ll not be blogging or Tweeting for a while.
This blog post has links to articles that may be of interest in the coming months: https://t.co/Tm9kR2HIU2 re. the #solareclipse & #lunareclipse in January & the #Supermoon in February #astrology

#Venus recently turned direct in #Libra, so many #relationships are recalibrating The current #FullMoon supports those who know things can’t remain as they were Let people go with grace In struggling to stay connected we may overlook the freedom of new directions for everyone

23 Nov #Gemini #FullMoon 1st of 5 full moons in 1st degree of their zodiac sign so between now & end of March new beginnings are hidden within endings, completion & loss May augur a parting of ways as opinions differ & paths diverge Be prepared to let go & allow the new to emerge

'This is the first of five full moons in the first degree of their zodiac sign, so between now and the end of March 2019 new beginnings will be hidden within endings, completion and loss. It may augur a parting of ways as opinions differ and paths diverge. In struggling to retain our connection with a familiar face, we may overlook the freedom of new directions for everyone.......With Venus having recently turned direct in Libra many relationships are undergoing a process of recalibration and this full moon supports those who know that times are changing and things simply cannot remain as they were.'

The passage of Mercury retrograde is actually a gift from the heavens which gives us an opportunity to reflect, take stock, review, and correct mistakes we may previously have made in the rush and whi...